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Watch out, BET.

Simon Cowell, the acerbic Brit who has helped give “American Idol” some of its sharpest — and nastiest — moments, will leave the popular singing show after this season.

Marriage was reportedly too “complicated” for rock couple Avril Lavigne and Deryck Whibley. The couple has reportedly split after three years of marriage. According to Us Weekly, Lavigne, 25, has made Whibley, the 29-year-old lead singer for the band Sum 41, leave their home in Bel Air, Calif. “She dumped him and told him she was leaving him. She wants to move on,” an Us Weekly source claimed. “Divorce papers will be filed any day now.” Another magazine source said Whibley “is crushed.” The couple got engaged in June 2005 and wed in July 2006 in Montecito, Calif., in front… Read more »

Billy Joel and his wife of five years, television host Katie Lee, are splitting up, according to an official statement. Joel, 60, and Lee, 27, confirmed they put “much thought and consideration” into their decision to separate, and say they will “remain caring friends with admiration and respect for each other.” Joel was previously married to his business manager Elizabeth Small from 1973 to 1982 and model Christie Brinkley from 1985 to 1994, with whom he has one daughter, singer Alexa Ray. Ray said she “wasn’t surprised” by the news. “I have a pretty good women’s intuition, so I can… Read more »

After five years of dormancy, Elektra Records will relaunch with a fresh roster of artists, Atlantic Records announced today in a statement. French dance duo Justice, Gnarls Barkley’s Cee-Lo Green and Little Boots are among the first musicians on the label, which was home to The Doors, The Eagles and Phish in the past. Mike Caren, who was executive vice president of A&R for Atlantic Records, and John Janick, the founder of Fueled By Ramen, will serve as co-presidents of the new venture. “Elektra Records will mark its 60th Anniversary in 2010, and it feels like the perfect time to… Read more »

Apple Inc. and major music labels are betting that the launch of three-tier pricing at the iTunes Music Store will boost music sales with a new mix of song-based packages and give consumers more options. Apple will announce its new three-tier price points at 69 cents, 99 cents and $1.29, according to several people familiar with its plans. Since opening in 2003, all songs in the iTunes store have been priced at 99 cents. The previous “one price fits all” strategy has long caused friction between Apple and the music labels, who argued that songs should be priced differently to… Read more »

After a series of on-again, off-again reports, Travis Barker and Shanna Moakler have split up again, his publicist confirmed Wednesday. The couple divorced in 2006, but reunited after Barker survived a plane crash last year. Unidentified sources told UsMagazine.com that the couple just couldn’t make it work. According to the magazine’s sources, they decided to break up again “after a nasty fight broke out at his house last night and cops were called…[when] Shanna started freaking out and acting irrational.” Although no charges were filed, the source adds that “Travis confronted Shanna about her having an affair with Gerard Butler… Read more »

Given Fall Out Boy’s penchant for publicity stunts (see this year’s nixed attempt to set a Guinness World Record by playing in Antarctica, followed by successfully setting the record for Most Interviews On Radio In a 24 Hour Period By A Pair of Two after talking to 72 radio stations), it should come as no surprise that the band celebrated yesterday’s release of Folie à Deux with a 36-hour New York promotional blitz that involved a nearly free show, performing on late-night TV and almost getting arrested. Over the weekend, Pete Wentz posted cryptic teasers on his blog for two… Read more »